

ABSTRACT

A laser microsurgical method and apparatus are disclosed for safely treating occluded body lumens with laser energy. The disclosed method involves the use of pulsed laser energy from an argon-ion laser (62) to destroy the tissue of luminal occlusions, such as atheromatous plaque and the like, with substantially no thermal necrosis of the surrounding tissue. A flexible catheter and associated laser microsurgical system is also disclosed which provides for aiming of the fibers (18a-18d) to transmit the laser beam at the distal end of the catheter and rotational positioning of the catheter to permit coverage of virtually the entire cross-sectional area of the lumen. A lens system (46-48) at the distal end of each laser fiber minimizes beam divergence and directs the beam toward the central axis of the catheter. A further embodiment of the catheter of the invention provides an array of laser fibers (118) which are optically scanned (66) with laser energy to cover the cross-sectional area of the lumen. The system is designed to minimize the possibility of damage to or perforation of the surrounding tissue of the lumen.



